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Written by Staff
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WM asks Winnipeg Harvest executive coordinator David Northcott how he would donate $500 this holiday season.
The first thing I’d do is say thank you to the person who gave me the $500 and tell them how much I value the spirit of the gift. Then I’d look at where my spirit is, where does my heart beat the greatest, what is commanding my attention right now.
Of course I have a bias towards child and family poverty issues so I’d contact a charity, see if they respond well to me as a person and find out what my dollars can lever. If you donate at Winnipeg Harvest, for example, a $100 donation could put gas in the truck, which could then be driven by volunteers to pick up five to six tons of food, multiplying my money 20 times. I’m looking for leverage: When you take my money what things are going to happen? I also want to give to a place where I have a pleasant experience, where I make a connection. Often I’ll go visit places, just drop in. If I’m welcomed and feel valued, then I feel positively about making a donation.
What would you want people to know about Winnipeg Harvest?:
What I’d like people to realize is that the folks who we do business with are not garbage. The depths of their stories don’t get told very often, so people don’t always know that they deal with a variety of issues and are not bad people. I suggest coming by in person, we’d love to tour them around. Just on the spur of the moment they can phone or email us or always drop by.
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